The Only Basic Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe You'll Ever Need

We like brown rice pasta here for three reasons: It’s whole-grain, it’s a dead ringer (taste- and texture-wise) for traditional pasta, and it’s gluten- free. You could also use a wheat- or chickpea-based pasta.

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk

2 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound uncooked brown rice macaroni or penne pasta

8 ounces 2% reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving

Nutritional Information

Calories 188

Fat 7g

Satfat 4g

Unsatfat 2g

Protein 8g

Carbohydrate 24g

Fiber 2g

Sugars 4g

Added sugars 0g

Sodium 280mg

Calcium 17% DV

Potassium 2% DV

Calories 188

Fat 7g

Satfat 4g

Unsatfat 2g

Protein 8g

Carbohydrate 24g

Fiber 2g

Sugars 4g

Added sugars 0g

Sodium 280mg

Calcium 17% DV

Potassium 2% DV

How to Make It

Step 1

Stir together milk, 2 cups water, and salt in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil over high. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring often and gently to loosen pasta from bottom of pot, until just tender, about 12 minutes. (Do not over-stir, or pasta may become mushy.)